The Flywheel

Program for friDAY May 23th

Health Care Savings Accounts

"OK, just point to where it hurts."

Erika James, founder of Full
Circle Insurance, Martinez, visits Richmond Rotary to
discuss health savings accounts (HSAs), a relatively
new option for business owners to use in their financial
and personal health care planning.

This program is offered as information, without any
warranty or endorsement.

MEETING OF May 16th, 2008

Welcome, Invocation, Thought for the Day

Stony offered the invocation and Red
Badger April lead the Pledge of
Allegiance. Continuing on the note of civic duty, this
week's editor, George,
noted that he could be here only because he'd escaped
jury duty. Rough justice.

Henry's Thought for the Day was a pleasant
one: he was in a good mood because he brought his wife
to lunch to today. Sweet.

Rotarians with Guests

Roy Swearingen, Pinole’s fearless city council
person, was a guest of John Nicol.Herb
Cole brought Allen
Blevens, originally from England. And Mark
Howe brought
Mickey, whose last name we can't spell correctly (sorry)
and therefore won't even try.

Sunshine Report

Bill K reported that Charley and Elof will
be back soon. David K showed up in Bill's
office just to tell him he wasn't really there but instead
was fishing in Montana (or Wyoming or somewhere where
the skies are bigger than Richmond's, whatever that means).

Announcements

John presented Nick with an award
to Richmond Rotary for Best Web Site in
Rotary District 5160. Nick acted like he knew he was
good. [Thanks, George— I think. But what I really
felt was surprise. Also anxious that everyone
understood that the weekly formatting this web page
is only part of the job. Writing the
Flywheel notes is the other part, and that's done by
a half-dozen other folks in the Club. So the award
is really a shared honor. -Nick]

Richmond Rotary donated two scholarships to Richmond
schools, of $1500 each. One was awarded to Richmond
Rotary's Interact Club at Salesian High School. The
other scholarship went to the Teen
Moms program.

Mark announced his plan to initiate
a guns buy-back project in Richmond. He invites any
members interested in the project to contact him. So
far the project has the support of many Rotarians,
as well as Chief Magnus, City Manager Lindsay, and
many city council members. Mark has donated $5,000
as seed money for project.

Unrelated to the above, Mark also
announced that he is inviting members to join him as
guests on his gunboat (Only kidding. The invitation
is real but it's a sailboat. A nice, safe sailboat.)

EJ Shalaby announced a tequila party
at Hotel Mack. Only serious people need attend. [?]

Happy and Sad Dollars

Judy was very happy about the crime
reduction in Richmond.

Assembly candidate Tony Thurmond was
happy that 50 people walked precincts for him. He
also thanked JoshG. for hosting the
house party for Beyond Emancipation, and
Nick for his work on the BE's
website. (Tony is the Executive Director of Beyond
Emancipation, dedicated to helping young people make
successful transitions from the foster care system into
independent adulthood.)

Bill
K gave $20 to announce a good honeymoon in Hawaii.

Erle said Ted
Smith, who we
haven't seen in ages, is alive and well. We're all happy.

Recognitions

Don Lau had lots of folks to call on
so excuse us if we missed some.

Don recognized Bill W and Nick for
birthdays and anniversaries— both happy we think.

The
United Nations arranged transportation for Lillian stuck
at wrong end of Madagascar. (The recognition must go
to the UN, we reckon, for recognizing Lillian.)

Hank
Covell will run the Bay to Breakers for the
115th time. [How is that possible? Typos corrected at no
charge so let us know. -Nick]

David Brown declared
that May 28th is a very special day in his life. Both
he and his wife were married and graduated from
law school on this day.

George Egan stated he was "born again"
40 years ago this May when, after a fender bender, his
heart stopped. At the hospital George was "jump-started
back to life" and now plans to retire when he is, by
the count of years since the reboot, 50 years old.

Ted went to Wisconsin and helped
his grandchild cut school. Unfortunately Ted and the
kid were busted by a teacher they bumped into while playing
hooky. Way to set an example, grandpa.

Mark Howe rode a bicycle to Rotary
last Thursday, a Spare-the-Air Day, and he is one proud
senior citizen. [Mark, talk to George abouty that heart-restart
business.]

Raffle Results

Someone drew one white ball among many.

THE PROGRAM

Energy Efficiency for Commercial Buildings

Charlie Geis of TNT Solar presented
a program and how to save energy by the use of more efficient
lighting systems. Good news to all those who use light.

After a jillion questions
demonstrating our group’s interest we adjourned
five minutes late.

-Your Rotating Editor, George Egan.

Upcoming Programs

May 30
Making Poor Nations Rich: Entrepreneurship and the
Process of Economic Development

June 6
“Reclaiming Honor in Jordan: A National Public Opinion
Survey on Honor Killings”.

Have a suggestion for a speaker? Please pass along
the name and contact information to Jim Young.

Writers Wanted
Got a way with words?

At least until the New Yorker magazine contacts you,
consider becoming a Flywheel editor. Talk to Jim Young
for details.